Paddles for canoes and the like



Nov. 17, 1959 J K. SMITH PADDLES FOR CANOES ANDTHE LIKE Filed Nov. 12, 1957 J 01x11. K. smi ck EdwSPa m This invention relates to paddles for canoes and the like- It is the primary object of this invention to provide a paddle so appointed and so constructed that theoperator thereof can paddle on each side of the canoe, in turn, without removing his hands from the paddle. In so doing the canoeist will have, at all times, each hand properly placed, therebyeliminating all the lost motion heretofore endured and thereby attain maximum efficiency. I p

Another object of thisinvention is to provide a paddle that is adjustable longitudinally and rotatably coupled with the above feature.

These and other advantages of this inventionwillbecome apparent from the following description in which: Figure 1 shows the overall appearance of a paddlewith my invention applied thereto Patented Nov. 17, 1959 employment of my invention will eliminate ineflicient stroking and wasted motion. 7

t Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the over-all illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises a paddle having double blades ;1 and the usual connecting stem 2. Spaced-apart longitudinally on the stem 2 and between the blades -1, is found the circular, rotatable operating means, designated generally at 3, which is the heart of my invention. Centered on the stem 2 between the opcrating means is a rotatably and longitudinally adjustable meansdesignated generallyv at 4.

Referring now to Figure 2, which is an exploded view of my invention, and wherein the operator places his hands, there is found an outer circular housing member 5 Figure 2 dramatically discloses an exploded view of the.

operating means for one hand, themeans for each hand being identical. u d

Fig. 3 is a side viewof my invention assembled for operation. 1 I

Figure 4 is a vertical section of my invention taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3. I

Figure 5 is a view of the longitudinal adjusting means. Amore appreciable understanding of myinventionwill emanate provided the following is understood. with respect to paddles as they are now known. .When operating a paddle, each hand mustbe removed from" the paddle, the paddling stroke is facilitated, by the fact that the uppermost hand is in a fpush. position, as it were, and the lower hand isjin a pull position, however-turned over, and placed in the positionpreviously occupied. by the other hand in order to conipletethe stroke on. the other side of the canoe. For illustratiomwhen the-last stroke was madeon the right side of the canoe and the canoeist desires to stroke on. the' left side, his left hand must be (1) removed from the upper end of the paddle, (2) turned over, and (3) placedin a position on the lower end of the paddle. At thisfsame interval, the :righthand must be (1) removed from the lower/end ofithe' paddle (2) turned over and (3)" placed'in a p ositionat the upper end of the paddle. Thisprocedure'must be followed at each and every stroke when paddling a canoe. Although there are double headed pa'ddles. for canoes, kayaks and the like, which a canoeistje'ouldoperate'without removing his handspthey preclude the utilization of the canoeists power by virtue of the fact that at least one hand is always in an awkward, fandtherefore less powerful position. It is this type of paddle to which my invention applies. 7 i A With my invention, acanoeist can igripathe paddle at the beginning of the stioke and paddle continuously, on both sides of the canoe in turn without ever removing his hands from the paddle, andfwithoutaltering his grip, thereby always having his'hands properly' placed." This, it will readily be seen, will facilitate faster stroking, more regularly timed stroking, andfeliminate'the losti'motion prevalent in all other paddles prior to my invention. The

'fixed on two sides to the stem 2. Adjacent member 5 is found a second inner, circular, movable, member 6 concentric with, and rotatable inside, member 5. This member 6 has a'flange 7 which acts as a guide'and retainer. Corresponding to flange 7 and fixed to member 6 by screws 9 is athird member 8 which acts as a guide and retainer for member 6 as member 6 rotates in member 5. To facilitate mutual rotation of the affixed members 6 and 8 relative to member 5 the outer periphery of member 6 is partially reduced at 6A and the innerperiphery of member 5 is reduced at 5A sufficient to-provide a race for anti-friction balls 11 which areshown disposed appropriately about the, outer periphery 'of member 6. These balls 11 may be placed adjacently in suflicient numbers so as to eliminate the need for spacers ora plurality of r the balls 11 may be spacedcircumferentially about the a periphery of member 6 and retained in position by a spacer membertnot shown), or respective retention recess (not shown all of which are old in the art of relatively rotatable bodies. 7 In order to prevent the operating means from. being. too freely rotatableya positioning means is provided. This positioning means consists of four diar netrically opposite ball bearings 6B on the 40 outer periphery of member 6 and four corresponding positioning recesses 53 on the inner periphery of member 5. The balls 6B are activated by spring 6C. This positioning means will hold the hand-grip means l Z either in'the axis of stem 2 or perpendicular thereto depending on the operator. However, with slight efiort, this position can be overcome and mernber 6 (and 8) rotated.-

lnsidemember 6 and coinciding with a diameter is found a hand-grip means 12. Adjacent the hand-grip means 12 and on the inside periphery of member 6 is found a handgrip stop-means,'indicated generally at 13, which allows only slight rotatio'nfof, thehand grip means 12- with respect tothe inner circular member 6. This relative movement can bein theneighb orhoo'd of 60 degrees. Any

conventional stop means would be appropriate but in order to prevent injury to the operators hands a recess 14 is provided in member '6, and an engageable member 15, fixed to hand-grip 12,- located so as to travel within this recess 14. All this adjustable operating means designated generally at 3 (in Figure 1) is fixed, in turn, to the paddle blade stem at 10.; Thus it can'be seen that, by placing each hand in oneofthe-above described members 3 a canoeis't can proceed to make the complete stroke, and

instead of removing ,his hands to turn them over, and reposition them, the hands will always .be in the pr oper 'push and pull position simply rotating operating members 6 (and 8).

Figure 3 shows a side View of my operating means n ts clearly disclosed how flange members 7 and 8, connected by screws 9, rotate about the outside of fixed member 5 so as to guide ro- ,tatable member 6 about the innerperiphery of fixed members; The stem Z'is positionedas' shown.

' Figure 4 shows the elements of my invention in an assembled cross section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3. It can be seen clearly that the circular retention third member 8 is fixed to the inner rotatable second member 6 byscrews 9 and bothrotatable; as a unit inside fixed member 5. The rotation is facilitated bymeans of the anti-friction balls 11 which perform in the race formed by the relationship of the reduced portion A and the complementary reduced portion 6A. The space between the-inner periphery of member Sand the outer periphery of member 6 is exaggerated slightly for illustrative purposes only as a closer fit would he demanded. The relationship of the positioningjmeans is shown with ball 6B activated by spring 60 so as to engage recess 5B.

Figure 5 discloses a means, indicated generally at 4, whereby the blades 1 (shown in Figure 1) may be rotated with respect to each other. Also the longitudinal relationship of means 3 may be adjusted. Any conventional means will suflice but for the purpose of illustration, Figure 5 discloses a hollow stem 2 that is jointed at 16 and an adjusting section 20 inserted in the hollow of both stems 2. Mating holes 17, are drilled through both the stem 2 and the adjusting section 20 at various longitudinal locations around the circumference and when a desired angle and longitudinal spacing-is located, wing-nut screws 18, or any easily adaptable fastening means, is inser ted through the proper aligned holes. Thus it can be seen that by the use of the adjusting means 4 the canoeist can pre-set the relative longitudinal distance between the operating means 3 at the most practicable position. The above treatment of the stem adjusting means would be employed when the paddlevstem 2 is hollow and when the stem- 2 is solid then' element 20 could be hollow and fit on: theoutside of stems 2 and lap the stem joint 16. In view of the fact that paddles are used around water and subject to rust, mud, abusive treatment, and other deteriorations; and in view of the fact that paddling, at best, is tiring, a proper material for the blades and stem of my paddle would be the usual light wood, durable rust-proof light alloy metal, or fiberglass and durable, rust-proof, lightalloy metal ,for the operating means.

While I have described my invention in the foregoing in detail I wish it to berunderstood that many changes may be made therein without departing from theispirit of the same as defined bythe appended claims in which I claim: 7 1. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of operating means spaced-apart"longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stem and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first 'fixed, outer, circular ,member, a third separate, circular member fixed to, concentric and rotatable with, and provid ing retainer means for said second inner, circular, movable, flanged' member, said first fixed, outer, circular member having a first reduced portion on the inner periphery, said second, inner, circular, movable, flanged member having on its outer periphery a second reduced portion complementary to saidfirstreduced portion, said first reduced portion and said second reduced portion together forming a race for anti-friction means, antifriction means disposed in said race, positioning means disposed co=actingly between said first fixed, outer, cir- 'cnlarmember and said second inner, circular, movable,

flanged member'for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner member in a selected, angular relation, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member being provided with hand grip' means, said handgrip means being rotatable about its ownxlongitudinal axis thereby being rotatable independently with respect 'to said secondinner, circular, movable, flanged member and rotatable independentlyof saidf first fixed, outer,

circular member and rotatable independently of said stem, stop means disposed about said hand-grip means providing only slight rotation of said hand-grip means with respect to said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, said stem comprising adjustable means disposed longitudinally between said pair of operating means whereby the spaced-apart relationship of said pair of operating means is adjustable both rotatably and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

2. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of operating means spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stem, and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first fixed, outer, circular member, a third separate circular member fixed to, concentric and rotatable with, and providing retainer means for said second inner,'circular, movable, flanged'member, said first fixed, outer, circular member having a first reduced portion on the inner periphery, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member having on its outer periphery a second reduced portion complementary to said first reduced portion, said first reduced portion and said second reduced portion together forming a race for anti-friction means, antifriction means disposed in said race, positioning means disposed co-actinglybetween said first fixed, outer, circular' member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner member in a selected, angular relation, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member being provided with hand-grip means, said handgrip means being rotatable about its own longitudinal axis thereby being rotatable independently with respect to said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member and rotatable independently of said first fixed, outer, circular member, and rotatable independently of said stern comprising adjustable means disposed longitudinally between said pair of operating means whereby the spaced-apartrelationship of said pair of operating means is adjustable, both rotatably and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

3. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stern therebetween, a pair of operating means spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stem and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first fixed, cuter, circular member, a third separate circular member fixed to, concentric with and rotatable with, and. providing retainer means for said' second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, said first fixed, outer, circular member having a first reduced portion'on the inner periphery, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member having on its outer periphery a second reduced portion complementary to said first'reduced portion, said first reduced portion and said second reduced portion together forming a race for anti-friction means, anti-friction means disposed in said race, positioning means disposed and said inner member in a selected,v angular relation, said second innergcircular, movable, flanged member being. provided with hand-grips means, said stem comprising adjustable means disposed-longitudinally between said pair of operating means. whereby the spaced-apart relationship of saidpair'of operating means is adjustable both rotatably. and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

4. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of operating means spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stem and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first fixed outer circular member, a third separate circular member fixed to, concentric and rotatable with, and providing retainer means for said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, anti-friction means disposed between said first fixed, outer, circular member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, positioning means disposed co-actingly between said first fixed, outer circular member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner member in a selected, angular relation, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member being provided with hand-grip means, said handgrip means being rotatable about its own longitudinal axis thereby being rotatable independently with respect to said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member and rotatable independently of said first fixed, outer, circular member and rotatable independently of said stem, stop means disposed about said hand-grip means providing only slight rotation of said hand-grip means with respect to said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, said stem comprising adjustable means disposed longitudinally between said pair of operating means whereby the spaced-apart relationship of said pair of operating means is adjustable both rotatably and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either handof the operator.

5. A paddle for'canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stern therebetween, a pair of operating means spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stem and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first fixed, outer, circular member, a third separate circular member fixed to, concentric and rotatable with, and providing retainer means for said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, anti-friction means disposed between said first fixed, outer, circular member and second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, positioning means disposed co-actingly between said first fixed, outer, circular member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner member in a selected, angular relation, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged, member being provided with hand-grip means, said hand-grip means being rotatable about its own longitudinal axis thereby being rotatable independently with respect to said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member and rotatable independently of said first fixed, youter, circular member and rotatable independently of said stem, said stem comprising adjustable means longitudinally disposed between said pair of operating means whereby the spaced-apart relationship of said pair of operating means is adjustable both rotatably and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of eitherhand of the operator.

6. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stern therebetween, a pair of operating means, spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem and between said blades, each of said pair of operating means being of a circular cross-section and comprising a first fixed, outer, circular member fixed to said stern and a second inner, circular, movable, flanged member concentric with and rotatable inside said first fixed, outer, circular member, a third separate circular member fixed to, concentric and rotatable with, and providing retainer means for said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, anti-friction means disposed between said first fixed, outer, circular member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member, positioning means disposed co-actingly between said first fixed, outer, circular member and said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner member in a selected, angular relation, said second inner, circular, movable, flanged member being provided with hand-grip means, said stem comprising adjustable means disposed between said pair of operating means whereby the spacedapart relationship of said pair of operating means is adjustable both rotatably and longitudinally, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

7. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of longitudinally adjustable and rotatable operating means spaced apart longitudinally on said stem, each of said pair of operating means comprising a fixed outer member and an inner means concentrically rotatable inside said fixed outer member, anti-friction means disposed between said fixed outer member and said inner means, positioning means disposed co-actingly between said fixed outer member and said inner means for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner means in a selected, angular relation, said inner means being provided with rotatable hand-grip means, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

8. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of longitudinally adjustable and rotatable operating means spaced-apart longitudinally on said stem, each of said pair of operating means comprising a fixed outer member and an inner means concentrically rotatable inside said fixed outer member, positioning means disposed coactingly between said fixed outer member and said inner means for releasably maintaining said outer member and said inner means in a selected, angular relation, said inner means being provided with rotatable hand-grip means, said pair of operating means eliminating the need for removal of either hand of the operator.

9. A paddle for canoes and the like comprising two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of longitudinally adjustable operating means spaced apart longitudinally on said stem between said blades, each of said means including an element rotatable about an axis transverse to said stern and a hand-grip mounted in said element, said hand-grip being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to said first axis.

10. In combination, a paddle having two blades and a connecting stem therebetween, a pair of adjustable hand-grip operating means spaced longitudinally on said stem, said operating means being rotatable transversely to the longitudinal axis of said stem. 

